Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1887-07-29
hours. Perhaps he was q, mystiffers
or q fool; to me the terms are synony-

hours. Perhaps he WAS g. myst1fers
or fool; to me the terms are synony-
nous. 81. ..5
s.I fancy we are playing at cross
purposes" he added after a pause.
The fact is that | go daily among
the Chinese at the East End, in whom
! take great interest, and what you
have seen is one Of the inevitable
drawbacks to my occupation
Like all enthusiasts, once started
on his hobby, he proceeded to ride it
to death. He explained to me that
by our system OF fostering the opium
industry in India we were causing
yearly the death and moral ruin of
thousands of intelligence Chinese. He
dilated upon the subject for at least
an hour, and then he launched out
upon the destitute condition of the
largest Chinese colony at the East
End OF Loheon. tried to get away
several times, but Intellectually. At
last he succeeded in communicating
to me a portion-a very small por-
tion-of his own enthusiasm. He
painted a terrible picture OF John
Chinaman in London, homeless, pen
niless, friendless. hopeless, possessed
body and soul by the opium fiend,
spending his hard earned coppers in
sordid dens upon thefatal drug, which
was to- assuredly repay his infatua-
ton by gradually stealing away his
health, his brains, and at last his life.
He fairly made my flesh creep.
'My dear fellow" he said 'there is
no time like the present; come and see
for yourself"
resisted, but in vain. I have said
am diffident. I fear I have no
strength of mind. I never can say no.
could not say no to Campbell. 1t
was ten o'clock at night. He got me
down stairs. 1t was an awful night.
In a. hanson cab he dragged me to the
most dreadful of the dreadful slums
! Of the East End OF London. Such
sordid misery as saw there I had
never even dreamt OF.
am not going to inflict upon you a.
| long description of an opium den; that
has been done before by the master
hand, and has been attempted over
and over again by puny imitators.
There lay John Chinaman enjoying
his poison. A common china ink
bottle and a bit of bamboo formed
his pipe. The ink bottle had q hole
in the side, on which the eacly-look-
| ing drug was carefully smeared, then
it was lighted. John smoked few
! whiffs in evident ecstacy, and then
John died, or at least appeared to do
so. Oplum-smoking John was a mis-
cradle object; he was lean. sickly-look-
ing, a melancholy wight.
"lt's very dreadful isn't it?' said
Campbell. 81 mustn't let this oppor-
tunity slip. You are doctor.
want to see what it's like. 1t isn't
mere curiosity I feel; it's a sort nf
melancholy duty. Now you're here,
! I'll get you to watch over me-"
OF what new absurdity was Camp
bell about to be guilty? It was bad
enough that he should bring unpleas-
ant proofs OF his philanthrophy to
that peaceful place, the Rice and Cur.
| ry Club; it was worse that he should
drag me, professional man, gratuit-
| ously-that was the extra sting to it
and in the middle of the night, to an
abominable Chinese den at the East
End OF London. But now he put a
climax to his wickedness by asking
me to watch over him, as if were a
guardian angel. I never felt less like
a guardian angel in my lite. I was
about to Indignantly refuse.
~ sent away the cab," said Camp
bell coolly.
Horror! we were then to stop here
till morning! for there was certainly
no getting away from the place except
in q cab. I had recently seen the
"Romany Rye" and the awful hor-
rors of the East End of London at
midnight were fresh in my mind Who
knows but that l had been de-
coyed here by Campbell? He might
be my Legitimate brother, who had
brought me here to murder me, and l
was an unarmed man! The remem-
brance ofMr. Wilson Barrett's frantic
struggles flashed thr Dug h me. Alas, I
had seen for myself that the very hor-
rible persons on the Princess's stage
were no exaggeration. Twas evidently
in for it, but I was determined that
nothing should decoy me into those
dreadful streets, of which, from our
cab window, had already seen more
than enough.
But Campbell proceeded to reassure
| me. my dear fellow" he said, "you
seem uncomfortable, but there is
nothing to be alarmed about; all I
| want you to do is to look after me
professionally. I am about to make
an experiment, by trying for myself
what the much-vaunted delights OF
| opium-smoking really are. These
| poor fellows he said, with a sympa-
thizing glance at the disgusting corpse.
like objects, who lay about in every
direction, Railways tell ME that i'll only
tried it once, I should do as they do.
feel that l could speak to them with
more authority if had really made
the experiment, and now is my oppor-
tunity. shall ask our host to sup
ply me with a pipe OF his best opium. I"
He turned to diabolical looking;
old Chlnaman who sat crouching on
the floor, warming his attenuated fin
gers over an earthen pot filed with
live charcoal, and addressed him in
his native language. did not under
stand what they said; they smiled,
grinned, and gesticulated, and I saw
| that it was no use to argue with
Campbell. He deliberately took off
his coot and collar, and undid the top
button of his shirt; then he calmly
proceeded to lie down by the side of
one OF the revolving objects on the
great wooden bedstead, which formed
| the only furniture in the sordid room.
The Chinaman produced from his
breast q rather more elaborate pipe
than those I had yet seen. It was
about six inches long; the bowl was
| formed Of a tiny saucer of silver, the
size Of q shilling. From small met
al box the old man proceeded to
charge it with opium; he then lighted